BORT
by DreamWeaver0509
Summary: Sakura is woken up in the middle of the night to accompany an ANBU squad for a mission. Nonmassacre AU.


_author's note: i dont own naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does._

_even with the blatant failure that was my previous one shot(foolish little brother, anyone?), i decided to go ahead and write this because i got bit by the ItachiXSakura bug a little and i wanted to desperately get it out of my system. so, here you go._

_it's a beginning. its complete by itself. _

_the title is also arbitrary._

_11/5/2012 - EDITED AND CHANGED. a plot hole was pointed out to me so i made some changes, moved around some stuff. its still the same story, has the same ending but things have been more realistic._

_oh and thanks for the plot-hole pointing out. appreciate it :)_

_ALSO, if you want to read(there's an optional sequel to it - best laid plans)_

* * *

_**B.O.R.T**_

Even though she'd spent the day training rigorously with Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura found that her eyes snapped wide open instantly when someone set off her trap while opening the window.

Sakura waited until he was looming above her before she leapt up and in a flurry of movements had him pinned to the floor before he knew it.

"Who are you?" she hissed into his ear, holding him down so that he wouldn't be able to escape. She'd be able to tap his spinal cord and paralyse him before he could so much as make a move.

"Haruno Sakura! The Hokage requests your presence-", he managed to gasp out and she recognized him, then.

He was part of the Hokage's night guard and wouldn't have been sent unless it was an emergency. She let him go and stood up, moving towards the uniform she kept aside for such emergencies.

"My apologies for attacking you, Akira. But you should have identified yourself sooner or knocked on the front door."

"I'm sorry-"

She waved her hand dismissively. She discarded her long tee shirt that she'd stolen from Naruto a while back for this purpose and pulled on her uniform, all the while ignoring the Chunnin who'd never gotten such an eyeful before.

She was sure he was on the verge of a nosebleed.

She strapped on her weapons pouch and pulled on her gloves, flexing them to make her fingers comfortable in the worn leather. She motioned for the Chunnin to precede her and they jumped to the rooftop of the nearby low lying building.

They took to leaping across the rooftops of buildings of the village; Sakura easily outstripping the Chunnin and arriving first at the Hokage Tower.

The Hokage was in her usual temper; Sakura and Shizune had earlier denied her sake because she hadn't finished her paperwork and she was sure that Tsunade would be in a foul mood because of that.

"Sakura." Tsunade growled. "Took you long enough."

"Come on, shishou, don't tell me you're still grumpy because of the sake-"

"Sometimes I wonder who's the apprentice and who's the-" Tsunade abruptly stopped as a small bird flew in through the window and perched on her finger. She stroked the back of the tiny bird that emitted a small chirp and vanished.

Tsunade turned to her and she noticed that she wore her serious Hokage face.

"Let's come back to that later. I have a mission for you, Sakura. It's an S-rank."

Sakura's posture straightened out, immediately. An S-Rank mission was dangerous and was handed out only to highly skilled ninja. She felt a small glow inside her that Tsunade thought she was ready for one.

Naruto and Sasuke were going to be so jealous.

"It's not a solo mission-", the bubble deflated a little but she was still pleased and excited! "-and the squad you will be accompanying as medic will assemble at the main gates in another five minutes to leave. The Fire Lord's daughter was kidnapped this evening and he demanded I send my best ninja out there to secure her. A medic might be necessary to heal the little girl and Shizune is busy tonight-"

Sakura nodded. "Understood, shishou."

She wondered who she was working with. No one knew the members of ANBU squads and Sakura hoped fervently she wouldn't be tasked with some slave driver.

"Here's a mask and an ANBU uniform. I'd recommend a henge so that your hair doesn't stand out quite as much. It's up to you. Good luck, Sakura."

Sakura, her arms full with the uniform and the mask, nodded furiously. "I won't let you down, shishou."

"You can use the room next door to change in."

In five minutes, Sakura had changed quickly into the ANBU uniform and she was running to the front gates, her boar mask strapped on firmly, hiding her identity. She'd wrapped her hair up in a net so the pink didn't stand out.

Three similarly dressed people awaited her at the gates. The white porcelain masks gleamed in the moonlight – Tiger, Ox and Rat.

Rat stepped forward as she skidded to a stop.

She supposed he was the squad leader. The formation of the ANBU squads was a secret; but the actual members of ANBU, though meant to be a secret, were known to most of the shinobi. No one knew them by the masks though, so Sakura was unable to identify Tiger, Ox and Rat.

None of them had hair that stood out like hers so that was a no show. The one with the longest hair was Rat; it was up in a ponytail and it looked to be black. Tiger had short hair, in a crew cut style, whereas Ox had chin length dark hair.

Better examination in a better illumination might have helped her divine their identities but there was no time for that now.

Rat was looking at her directly. "I hope you know your capacity in this team, Boar."

She nodded. "Yes, Captain. To serve as medic and backup."

Which would mean she wouldn't be actually fighting but hey, she took what she got. Completing an S-Rank with an ANBU squad would look good on her application when she applied for ANBU next fall.

"That is the official instruction but if required, you will participate and help us successfully complete the mission."

A wide grin split her face and she nodded furiously. "Understood, Captain." She replied, her voice hardly able to contain her excitement.

A chuckle escaped from one of the other two; who she wasn't able to tell. Rat turned away from her so that he was looking at the other two.

"We will follow formation 12." He instructed. Sakura knew formation 12 and she had no difficulty, following their lead and leaping into the last position left.

The team was fast and silent; there was barely a sound made by Tiger, Ox or Rat as they leapt from tree to tree. Sakura occasionally felt like the proverbial elephant in a china shop as she crunched on twigs and branches.

She didn't know how long they'd been travelling when Rat's arm went up to signal them to all skid to a halt.

Sakura landed behind Ox and did a quick check on her chakra. She'd been monitoring her chakra levels and even though she'd had a draining training session that day (or more appropriately _yesterday_), she still had enough chakra to put up a good fight.

Rat was facing all of them and he pulled out a scroll from his pack.

"The ransom scroll indicates that this is where the drop off is supposed to be in another four hours. "

"What's the ransom, Captain?" Ox asked, sticking his hands in his pockets. He was slouching and the posture looked very familiar to Sakura. It was the kind of familiar that made her think she knew it but she couldn't put a name to it. Sakura's irritation levels spiked as a reaction to it.

"Forty million ryou."

Ox whistled while Tiger remained silent. "I'd like to see the Fire Lord put that together quickly-"

"Banter later, Ox. Tiger?"

Tiger didn't reply for a few minutes but Rat and Ox didn't seem to be bothered.

Sakura took the opportunity to look around the clearing. The presence of particular shrubs and herbs indicated that they were just outside the border of Fire Country and in Lightning Country.

"There is a hideout about a mile ahead of us. I am informed that there are a group of ninja and a little girl there." Tiger suddenly said in a monotone.

Sakura was astounded. How had Tiger known that? Unless…

Sakura's mind was a whirl, working away at possible theories when Rat began issuing commands to them.

"Tiger. Lead us in the direction."

They took to the trees again but it was a short sprint this time and by the time they landed, Sakura had ascertained the identity of Tiger.

The tone of his voice (a monotone), the hair and the way he'd just known that information-

Shino Aburame.

One of her own rookie nine. Sakura tried to subdue her wild grin but her guess was spot on and she knew it.

They'd landed in a small clearing that contained an enormous walled enclosure; surely, there was a gate somewhere but it would be easier if-

"Boar. Break the wall."

She wasn't sure she'd heard Rat correctly. "Break the wall?"

"Yes. You are the Hokage's apprentice, aren't you? The Hokage and her apprentice are famed for their strength."

She bristled. She didn't like her own identity to be given away so easily.

"How did you figure that out?" she asked, turning to Rat.

Rat ignored her statement. "I believe I asked you to do something, Boar."

Sakura felt her irritation levels spike but she decided to push it from her head for the moment. She tightened her gloves and fisted her hands. "Of course, Captain." she said as she focused and gathered chakra into her hands before striking the wall.

The wall crumbled with a deafening sound and Sakura didn't turn around to see awed expressions on her current team members.

Rat didn't waste any time appreciating her actions and Sakura was a little disappointed with that. But that was how the adult world worked and she knew it; you did a good job, they left you alone. You do a bad job of it, you wind up dead or under probation.

The dust cleared to reveal the low gloomy fort. Rat made a few quick hand signs and a crow fluttered to his shoulder. They seemed to hold a silent conversation before he launched the crow into the sky; it flew to the back of the fort.

"Boar. The door as well."

Sakura struck again, with precision, causing shrapnel to fly everywhere. She automatically healed all her tiny wounds and turned to her team members. Ox stuck his hand out and she pulled out a medium sized wooden piece before healing the wound.

Sakura turned to Rat but he waved her away. She wasn't sure but she thought she caught the bright red gleam of the Sharingan through the mask.

An Uchiha ?

They ventured into the door and Rat directed her and Tiger down a hallway to search for the hostage while Ox and he took the other.

Tiger-Shino and she ran down the passage and stumbled onto a room with a shinobi currently in the process of strapping on his sword. When he saw them, he pulled out his katana.

Tiger pulled out his standard issue tanto while Sakura fisted up, ready to battle him. She didn't possess a sword but she'd be damned if she let that stop her from kicking his ass.

"Boar. Continue with the mission."

She shot Shino a glance but nodded and side stepped the fire jutsu that the shinobi shot at her. She shot a Suiton jutsu(Suiton Mizurappa) that she'd picked up from Tenten and shot it at the shinobi, carefully controlling her chakra so that it only distracted him to enable her escape and didn't waste her chakra.

The next stop in the passage led her to face off against another kunoichi. The kunoichi was a weapons master and she was reminded of Tenten but she firmly shoved away her feelings and fought the shinobi, throwing various jutsu at her and dodging the weaponry that she wielded.

She finally took her down by catching her in a genjutsu that she applied to the back of her head; a genjutsu of her own making. Tsunade would be both proud and interested in it; she'd been meaning to demonstrate it to her. She'd tried it out on Naruto and Sasuke and observed the effects so it wasn't a complete beta testing on the field. Sakura continued on, in the winding passage, passing rooms and cells. It looked like the lower level consisted of quarters for the renegade shinobi, stock rooms for weapons and cells to keep prisoners.

Since, they were currently under attack, she was certain that everyone was up on the higher level and found that the end of the passage was a winding staircase. Sakura climbed up the stairs and burst right into a battle scene.

Ox was battling two shinobi at once, it looked like it had been three at one point but there was a prone body in the corner of the room and Sakura was willing to bet that Ox had knocked him out.

One of the shinobi turned to her and she grinned, her excitement level climbing up a notch.

He threw a shuriken at her which she nimbly dodged and leapt closer to engage him in close combat. Ninjutsu might not be her especial skill but her taijutsu wasn't bad at all. And her experience as a medic-nin could aid her best in close range rather than long-range.

She threw bone-breaking punches but the shinobi wasn't a weakling, either. He weaved and dodged and threw hits back. They grappled before Sakura managed to tap the top of his spinal cord column, managing to paralyse him.

He dropped like a stone and she turned to see Ox driving a tanto through his opponent. His opponent fell to his knees and keeled over as they watched.

"Good work, Cherry."

"You too, Ox." Sakura said without registering the comment before turning to him, her eyes narrowed.

"Don't call me Cherry."

Ox shrugged. "Sure thing, Cherry."

"You know who I am too!" she complained. "Yet, I'm in the dark."

If Ox grinned at this whine, she didn't know. "You'll know by the end of the mission, Cherry. Now come on, we have enemy ass to kick."

They followed the sounds of fighting and came upon Rat decimating his last opponent. Sakura watched Rat use the Body-Flicker technique to effectively push his victim into a corner and then finish him off with a tap to the back of his neck.

He straightened as they entered and Sakura noticed in disbelief that he didn't seem to display the slightest amount of exertion.

Sakura stared at the red of his Sharingan and wondered who he was; she knew of few Uchiha in ANBU and wouldn't be able to pinpoint any other Uchiha other than Sasuke.

A crow flapped through the door and landed on Rat's shoulder. He made a few hand signs and the crow dissipated, leaving a cloud of dust. Rat walked to a corner of the room and made a few hand seals which seemed to dispel a genjutsu. Sakura's view of the room warped and she saw that a closet in the corner had been covered by genjutsu.

"Boar. The hostage is in the closet."

Sakura disbelievingly, ran to the closet door and flung it open and sure enough, an adorable girl was sitting on the floor, knees clutched to her chest. She raised her eyes to meet Sakura's and Sakura felt her heart clench as she saw the tear filled dark eyes and the tear stained, heart shaped face.

Sakura knelt and pushed up her mask (what the hell, they all knew who she was anyway) to reveal her face to the little girl.

"Don't cry. We're here to take you home to your family."

The girl cringed away from Sakura's touch.

"I'm not going to hurt you." She told her but the girl cowered still. Sakura was going to knock her out so that they could carry her away without a struggle but Rat and Ox showing up behind her seemed to give the girl strength. She uncurled and reached out to Sakura who turned around and presented her back so that she piggy-backed her.

Sakura slid her mask back on and stood up. The little girl hid her face in her hair and she thought she whispered something.

"Let's go." Rat intoned and he used a Katon jutsu to shatter the delicate rice wall of the room. Sakura noticed the characteristic Uchiha-like manner in which he performed the jutsu and knew that even without the Sharingan, she'd have been able to realize it with this. Sasuke performed the jutsu in this manner, in fact Sasuke performed the jutsu in the exact _same_ manner-

They were leaping down into the foliage and she saw Tiger fighting a kunoichi who seemed to enjoy an affinity for Doton jutsu. She was giggling madly as she began a sequence of seals, no doubt intended to finish off Tiger, when she suddenly collapsed- mid sign. Sakura wasn't sure but she thought she saw one of Shino's bugs fly back to him. She guessed that he'd drained the kunoichi of chakra.

Tiger turned as though he knew exactly where they were standing and ran to them. He caught sight of Sakura's burden and at Rat's signal, they leapt into the foliage and began a race back towards Konoha.

Their pace was fast until they crossed over the Fire Country border. Predictably, Rat signed a halt at the drop off point and they dropped down into a clearing. Sakura knelt to let the little girl get off but she refused to let go. Ox ended up prying her off Sakura and the little girl burst into tears.

Sakura sighed and opened her arms to the little girl who refused to climb into them but continued her crying. She held her arms out, not in Sakura's direction, but Rat's.

Ox chortled as soon as the circumstances became clear. "Captain, our little charmer."

Rat ignored him and walked forward to calmly pick up the snivelling child who buried her face in his neck.

Seeing as the girl was distraught, she decided that her examination could wait and by extension so could Rat's, so Sakura turned to Tiger and Ox.

"Are you two alright ?" she asked them.

"I have some minor injuries." Tiger announced and Sakura began to examine him, her hands glowing green, channelling her chakra into healing a stab and a broken rib. She wasn't even going to ask how Tiger hadn't gotten so far without complaining of the pain.

"Can you lift your arm, Shino?" she asked, absent minded as she manoeuvred to check the burn on his hip.

"So, you've finally figured it out, Sakura."

"I figured it out before we got to the fort, Shino." She said, straightening and turning to Ox. Shino didn't reply and Sakura heard a characteristic buzz that meant Shino was talking to his bugs.

Ox showed her a small burn that she readily healed and before she could turn to move to Rat, he'd caught her arm and reeled her in close.

"I wouldn't object to a more personal examination, Cherry."

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she jabbed him in a particularly tender area and moved back at his yelp.

"Well, neither would I. Especially if it involves chakra scalpels. I have been meaning to test them out." She said, sweetly.

"What about you, Captain?" Sakura turned to Rat who'd been watching them.

Rat shook his head but knelt to deposit the little girl on the ground. He had to pry her off him but the little girl didn't burst into tears as she turned to Sakura. She let Sakura perform a scan, checking for injuries and poisons and then, (Sakura's hands lingered, brushing away her hair and trying to get some dirt off her face), immediately, turned to Rat, indicating that he pick her up.

Rat turned around so that she could climb onto his back and picked her up. She watched the girl snuggle into Rat and felt her heart melt.

"Come on, Captain. The mission's over! Take off your mask at least now. Get a breather! You too, Shino. Come on, Cherry."

Sakura glared at Ox. "Don't call me Cherry."

"The mission isn't over until we deliver the girl, Ox."

Ox mumbled to himself but didn't protest when Rat leapt onto the tree again. Shino-Tiger followed him. Sakura and Ox followed them, swift and silent.

They leapt through the trees, Ox teasing Sakura with Tiger throwing his input in once in a while. Rat didn't participate but she knew he was listening. The Captain didn't look like he missed much.

The little girl fell asleep on Rat's back and she didn't wake up throughout their journey regardless of their flight.

They arrived back to the village in due time and headed straight for the Hokage's tower. The Fire Lord was waiting for them with Tsunade.

The little girl's mother rushed forward as they walked through the door.

"Aoi!"

The mother looked from Sakura to Rat, desperately and Sakura felt pity for her. Rat calmly turned around to indicate that he was carrying the girl and he gently pried her off to give her to her mother.

Aoi stirred and seemed to realize who she was with; her mother was crying and hugging her. Aoi didn't cry but let her mother faun over her, her head on her mother's shoulder. She was watching Rat as though to make sure he didn't disappear.

It was the sweetest thing Sakura had ever seen.

Rat indulged her, staying within Aoi's vision and made his formal report to Tsunade. Tsunade listened to him gravely and sought her out to give her a smile.

The Fire Lord thanked them as well, his words warm. He looked like he'd been through the ordeal of a lifetime, worrying about Aoi. Aoi's mother decided to leave while Tsunade had a quick word with the Fire Lord.

Aoi perked up when her mother began walking to the door and she set up a wail when she reached the door. Startled, they turned around and Sakura realized that she was crying out, extending her arms to Rat.

Ox chortled and she thought she heard Shino laughing as well(Sakura couldn't help her misty smile) but Rat ignored them all and walked over to Aoi's mother, the Fire Lord's wife, and politely asked her permission to hold Aoi.

Aoi's mother was clearly startled but she let Rat pick Aoi up into his arms. Rat whispered something to her ; Aoi whimpered but went back to her mother calmly.

She was watching Rat even as the door closed, hiding him. Rat joined them in facing the Hokage and waiting for their dismissal orders.

Sakura shuffled her feet and wondered who was behind the mask. Gentle enough to indulge a child, so well.

She didn't think people like that made ANBU.

Tsunade said her goodbyes to the Fire Lord and ushered him out. She closed the door and sat down in her seat before she spoke to them.

"Did something happen during the mission that you could not reveal before the Fire Lord? Sakura, what was the girl's state when you found her?"

"Nothing at all." Rat told her and then turned to Sakura so that she could give the medical report.

"Just some dehydration, scrapes and shock, shishou. Nothing rest can't cure."

Tsunade nodded, thoughtfully.

"Good job. You're dismissed for another two days. Get some rest. Stay back, Sakura."

"Of course, shishou." Sakura nodded. No doubt, she'd grill her privately on what it was really like. Sakura turned to say goodbye to her squad members.

Ox had turned to her as well.

"This is your last chance, Sakura. Any guesses?"

Sakura grimaced and pulled off her own mask. "No." she grumbled.

Ox laughed. "Since, you're probably never going to get it-", he pulled off his mask.

Shiranui Genma. She didn't know how she'd missed it.

"You're not as smart as everyone says you are, Cherry." He winked. Sakura resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

"We'll see whether you're talking in the same tone after you sustain a serious injury and only, I'm around to heal it."

Ox chuckled and she ignored him. She turned to Tiger and Rat who'd both taken off their masks.

Shino Aburame and…holy hell. How had she missed it?

Itachi Uchiha.

He saw the surprise written on her face and his lips quirked into a tiny smirk before he gave her a nod.

"See you around, Haruno." Shino told her and the three left together, Itachi without a backward glance and Genma with one last smirk.

Tsunade relaxed in her chair as the door closed behind them.

"Pass me that sake bottle, won't you?"

Sakura shot her a disapproving look. "Come on, shishou, its early in the morning-"

"Sakura. I just now sent you on an S-Rank mission. Be grateful."

Sakura grimaced but handed her the sake bottle and cup. Sometimes, there was no arguing with Tsunade.

"So, what did you think about the mission?"

Sakura thought back to how efficient and disciplined it had been. None of the usual slop that Team Kakashi was involved in. There had been a clear chain of command and everyone had done their job unlike Team Kakashi which protected its kunoichi and did as it pleased. She supposed that was Kakashi's fault, not enforcing a chain of command early but Kakashi had always been more of a team member rather than a Sensei to them. And family was family regardless of how dysfunctional and overprotective.

The squad had functioned like well oiled parts of a machine and they got along well too. Sakura wouldn't mind going on regular missions with them. It was a breather from the chaos that was Team Seven.

"It was different from the usual missions with Team Kakashi, no doubt-"

Tsunade slammed her sake cup down, interrupting her.

"Here's the thing, Sakura. I think you're a strong, experienced kunoichi who can take care of herself. I know you love your team and want to take missions with them and I don't really mind that. Bonds are what define us and I'm glad that your rookie team is still strong together. But, I know Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi still see Genin Sakura when it comes to a mission. They band to protect you and don't you deny it."

Sakura remained quiet. She couldn't deny that.

She'd had many an argument with the two of them about the same thing. Sasuke had grunted and told her not to be stupid while Naruto had told her that - of course, he knew she was strong. He just wanted to be sure that she didn't get hurt.

She didn't fault their good intentions. But she wished they wouldn't treat her as a fragile object that they had to protect. She was a Jonin as well, a fellow shinobi.

Tsunade watched the expressions fly across her face and decided to put forth her idea.

"This mission was sort of a test. I talked to Uchiha before it and he agreed that you would be an asset to his squad."

She felt an odd trickling sort of sensation in her chest. Itachi Uchiha had thought she'd be an asset? She felt like smiling. No, she felt like grinning widely or shouting out in glee.

"You'll continue doing missions with Team Kakashi but whenever, ANBU Squad Eleven requests your presence, you will accompany them." Tsunade sat back. "What do you think?"

Sakura thought she'd cry out of joy. She settled for beaming.

"That would be wonderful, shishou."

"Good. Now, you're dismissed. Don't show up at the hospital till tomorrow."

Sakura bowed and showed herself out.

The three of them had already left out so Sakura began her solitary walk to her apartment.

During the walk, she reflected that this wouldn't be a bad life style. Itachi was a good commander who clearly thought through all his strategies. Not to mention, he was an extremely skilled shinobi who was almost on par with the Hokage. Squad Eleven was one of the best ANBU squads and it was a privilege to work with them. And to think that Itachi Uchiha, child prodigy, thought that she was an asset?

And then there was the way he'd handled Aoi. She'd found the gentleness that he'd exhibited towards her, endearing and attractive.

It had been a revelation; like something that had been hidden in plain sight had been pushed into the daylight.

Itachi Uchiha was nothing like she'd thought him to be. Musing on the could-bes and the maybes, Sakura covered the distance between her apartment and the Tower easily.

She found that her apartment door was ajar and cautiously opened it to find Naruto sitting on her couch, eating cornflakes.

"Where on earth have you been!" he exclaimed, turning to her. "I've been here for more than an hour! Oh, and I ate the chicken leftovers."

She'd been saving that up for dinner but Naruto was Naruto. She sighed and began to unstrap her weapons. It was definitely a day of leisure ahead.

Naruto watched her with unbridled interest.

"Were you on a mission?" he asked, excited. "How come Grandma didn't put us with you!"

"Naruto." Sakura said, reprovingly. "A team needed a medic so Tsunade assigned me. It was an urgent mission. The Fire Lord's daughter was kidnapped last night."

"I can't believe Grandma assigned you to some other team! Doesn't she know that Team Seven stays together-"

Sakura wondered how he'd react when she got assigned to Squad Eleven regularly. She decided to just go take a shower and get herself breakfast.

"Wait! Who were you with on the mission?"

This was the tricky part. She took a deep breath.

"Squad Eleven."

There was silence for a heartbeat. "Squad Eleven! But that's an ANBU Squad! You went on an S-Rank mission?"

Sakura smiled to herself and went into her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

She'd never paid much attention to Sasuke's older brother (primarily because he'd never paid much attention to Sasuke's teammates) but Sakura had to admit that now, he'd definitely caught her attention. Only time could tell what was going to happen but Sakura had to admit that she liked the current direction of her life and the shape of her future.

She cocked her head and realized that she could distinctly hear Naruto ranting through the door.

"Wait till Sasuke hears about this!"

* * *

**References** : Narutopedia(for some minor details like to check whether Itachi's ANBU mask was ever shown or not, during which time i became aware of THE HIDDEN LEAF VILLAGE'S GRAND SPORTS FESTIVAL. you gotta check it out atleast for Minato and Itachi's guest appearances) and the manga.

I took liberties with the masks because a clear reasoning has never been suggested as to from WHAT place he's taking it from so I decided to go with the whole 'they're all chinese zodiac signs'.

Itachi's squad was assigned an arbitrary number and members(all though I like Shino a lot). The Fire Lord, I have no idea of his name, or whether he has a daughter or not. The Suiton jutsu does exist though. It was mentioned in the 3rd Naruto Databook and is used in the manga and anime at some point or the other. I gave Itachi the Rat mask because of the qualities that Wikipedia said(go check it out; i picked it primarily because of _intense, industrious _and_ intellectual_). The other mask assignations were all arbitrary. I thought Cat was too common so I gave Sakura the Boar mask.


End file.
